Countering DPRK and Iran’s WMD, UAS, and Missile Proliferation | DFOP0016995

Opportunity Information: Apply for DFOP0016995

The grant opportunity titled "Countering DPRK and Iran's WMD, UAS, and Missile Proliferation" (Funding Opportunity Number DFOP0016995) is a discretionary U.S. government funding program run by the Department of State's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, specifically through the ISN/CTR (Counter Threat Reduction) line of effort. It is designed to strengthen international capacity to counter weapons of mass destruction proliferation and related delivery systems, with a strong emphasis on enforcing and operationalizing international sanctions and pressure tools. Although the title references both the DPRK and Iran, the published description focuses primarily on North Korea and the ways it attempts to sustain its WMD and missile programs through sanctions evasion, illicit procurement, and hidden financial networks.

At its core, the program supports the United States' broader policy approach of maintaining international pressure and sanctions on the DPRK until full denuclearization is achieved, even as diplomatic engagement remains an objective. The practical goal is to make it harder for DPRK-linked actors to move money, goods, technology, and expertise across borders. This includes helping partner governments and relevant institutions implement United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) that restrict DPRK proliferation activity, improving the ability of those partners to detect and stop DPRK-linked sanctions evasion schemes, and disrupting the material and financial pathways that ultimately bankroll WMD development and the systems used to deliver them, including missiles and related technologies.

The work envisioned under this opportunity is largely capacity building and applied research. ISN/CTR intends to achieve results through training and technical assistance that enable partner countries to better identify suspicious procurement behavior, flag deceptive shipping and trade patterns, and strengthen interagency processes for sanctions implementation and enforcement. Another significant component is open-source research and other specialized efforts that can map networks, identify emerging evasion tactics, and provide actionable insights that help governments and institutions shut down illicit financial and material flows. In practice, this can include building skills and systems around investigative methods, compliance and enforcement coordination, information-sharing mechanisms, and analytic capabilities that turn publicly available data into operational leads.

The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement or collaboration by the U.S. government during implementation, such as coordination on priorities, deliverables, and program direction. The program sits under CFDA number 19.033 and is categorized under the broad funding activity label "Other," reflecting its cross-cutting focus that can touch finance, export controls, sanctions enforcement, nonproliferation, and security cooperation.

Eligibility is intentionally broad, allowing a wide range of organizations with relevant expertise to apply. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofits and NGOs (with or without 501(c)(3) status), foreign-based nonprofits/NGOs, federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), public international organizations, foreign public organizations, U.S.-based private/public/state institutions of higher education, foreign-based institutions of higher education, and U.S. for-profit entities or businesses. This structure suggests the government is looking for implementers that can combine technical know-how, regional access, training capability, and strong analytic or research capacity.

In terms of scale and timing, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $5,000,000 per award and anticipates making about five awards. The original closing date is January 17, 2025, and the opportunity record shows a creation date of October 26, 2024. Overall, the solicitation is aimed at producing measurable improvements in how countries and institutions detect, investigate, and disrupt DPRK-linked proliferation support activity, especially the hidden financial and procurement channels that enable WMD and missile-related programs to continue despite international restrictions.

• The Bureau of International Security-Nonproliferation in the other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Countering DPRK and Iran’s WMD, UAS, and Missile Proliferation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.033.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-10-26.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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